567:Donna Meets the Freedom Writers
by mary.okeeffe.16
Summary: During their 3 month stay in New York, Donna, Bailey, Samantha, Emma, Sydney, and Payton catch up with Donna's old friends, "Clive" and "Hilary" who are a rap duo. They learn more about racism, The Opossums and their mysterious leader, "The Opossum King"


Donna was marching up to Juan Garrindo Academy, where her Great Uncle Luke was the dean of the place. He greeted Donna with a big hug. Emma, Samantha, Payton, Sydney, and Bailey were by her side, "I can't believe we're in the presence of Donna's great uncle Luke Skywalker" she shouted as she went around like crazy.

"You must be Bailey Lahela," Principal Skywalker said, "Donna's biggest fan."

After Donna introduces her other friends to Great Uncle Luke, he took them in to see an old friend of Donna's, it was Luci. "Hola Luci" Donna smiled, "I heard your working here now while attending an online college."

"Si" Luci replied, "I run jr theater dept."

"That doesn't sound so bad," Donna replied

"But, there's only one problem." Luci frowned, "A couple of trouble making teenagers are causing mishap around the school, they call themselves, "The Opossums."

"The Opossums?" Donna asked, "This totally reminds me of when I helped the Heywood Brothers with some gang trouble."

"Luckily" Luci smiled, "I know two teenagers in the teen program who knew that gang violence is wrong. They're cleaning up the graffiti art in the hallway right now."

In the hall, they found two Afro-Latino twins cleaning up. "Mi Amo Clive," said the boy, "Este Es Mi Hermana, "Hilary"

"Yes," Donna recalled, "I remember you two. The Benitez Twins. The ones who do a rapping duo."

"Si" Hilary replied, "And your Donna, the one who dances like loco."

"I can't believe The Opossums would let you do this." Donna said as she started repainting the wall, "By the way what did they spray paint."

Clive showed a picture of the spraypainting they did last night. It was a picture of Luke Skywalker and on top, it said, "Luke the Smuke"

They tried to giggle but stopped so they won't hurt his feelings. "Hilary, Clive" Luci said, "Your grandparents are here."

"Gracias, Teach" smiled Hilary as they took off to meet their grandparents.

In the halls, they met their Black grandfather, "Marcus" and Latino grandmother, "Eva"

"Grandpa has been going by our mom's surname since their marriage" Hilary explained, "Not many men go by their wives name when they marry."

Hilary explained that they have a rapping gig at Festihall Arcade. They were wondering if they could let Donna's, "Cousin" be the DJ. Their original DJ has gotten a cold and won't be able to perform.

"Sure" Donna smiled, "I'll let Cousin Rocket perform for you."

Later at the Festihall Arcade, they perform the Common/Will. I. Am rap

 _I got a Dream_

 _(That One Day ) We gonna work it out out out_

 _(That One Day ) We gonna work it out out out_

 _(That One Day ) We gonna work it out_

 _(I Have a Dream) I got a Dream_

 _(That One Day ) We gonna work it out out out_

 _(That One Day ) We gonna work it out out out_

 _(That One Day ) We gonna work it out_

 _(I Have a Dream) I got a Dream_

 _(That One Day) That one day_

 _(That One Day) I'ma look deep within myself_

 _I gotta find a way, (I Have a Dream)_

 _My Dream Is To Be Free_

 _My Dream Is To Be_

 _My Dream Is To Be_

 _My Dream Is To Be Free_

 _In search of brighter days, I ride through the maze of the madness,_

 _Struggle is my address, where pain and crack lives,_

 _Gunshots comin' from sounds of Blackness,_

 _Given this game with no time to practice,_

 _Born on the Blacklist, told I'm below average,_

 _A life with no cabbage,_

 _That's no money if you from where I'm from,_

 _Funny, I just want some of your sun,_

 _Dark clouds seem to follow me,_

 _Alcohol that my pops swallowed bottled me,_

 _No apology, I walk with a boulder on my shoulder,_

 _It's a Cold War, I'm a colder soldier,_

 _Hold the same fight that made Martin Luther the King,_

 _I ain't usin' it for the right thing,_

 _In between Lean and the fiends, hustle and the schemes,_

 _I put together pieces of a Dream_

 _I still have one_

 _I got a Dream_

 _(That One Day ) We gonna work it out out out_

 _(That One Day ) We gonna work it out out out_

 _(That One Day ) We gonna work it out_

 _(I Have a Dream) I got a Dream_

 _(That One Day ) We gonna work it out out out_

 _(That One Day ) We gonna work it out out out_

 _(That One Day ) We gonna work it out_

 _(I Have a Dream) I got a Dream_

 _(That One Day) That one day_

 _(That One Day) I'ma look deep within myself_

 _I gotta find a way, (I Have a Dream)_

 _My Dream Is To Be Free_

"It's time I tell you a little story," Senorita Benitez said,

"This is the on where Abuelita and Grandpa first met," Clive explained.

"In America," she said, "A girl can be crowned a princess, for her beauty and grace, but an Aztec princess is chosen for her blood. To fight for her people papa and his father fought against those who think we're less then they are. Who says that say we aren't equal in beauty and blessing"

"Now this is where the freaky stuff happens," Hilary said,

"It was the first day of 2nd grade and I was waiting for my Papa to take me to the bus and I saw the war for the first time." Senorita Benitez cried, "They took my father for retaliation. He was innocent, but he took him in because of our gang. When I got initiated in a gang life at 10, I became third generation. At Long Beach, It's all about color, it's about people deciding what you deserve, about people wanting what they don't deserve. About whites thinking they own this world no matter what, you see, I hate white people. If your Latino, or Asian, or Black, you can get blasted anytime you go out your window."

"Why are you telling us this?" Sydney asked.

Senorita Benitez took out a picture of herself, Marcus, a few students, and a lady back in the 90s. Samantha quickly recognized her as Erin Grunwell, she read her book The Freedom Writers Diary while she was in middle school. "That woman," she said, "Was my teacher."

Note: Hilary was named after the actress who played Erin Grunwell back in the Freedom Writers, Hilary Swank"


End file.
